Improving the DNR’s reservation system for camping, cabins, recreation buildings and shelters will require a system interruption starting Feb. 8 at 12:01 a.m.

The improved system will be available Feb. 28 at noon.

During the service interruption, no advance reservations will be taken at the DNR’s call center or at www.Camp.IN.gov; however, same-day walk-up registrations will still be available at the property of your choice. The State Park Inns/Lodges also will take reservations for rooms and cabins associated with the inns during the system interruption at www.indianainns.com or 1-877-LODGES1 (1-877-563-4371).

When www.Camp.IN.Gov reopens Feb. 28, customers will be able select preferred amenities, and use an easy-to-read availability calendar and interactive campground maps. Eventually, photographs of campsites will be added.

“We thank everyone for their continued patronage, and appreciate their patience while we add features to make the system more convenient,” said Christie Wilmoth, the DNR Division of State Parks and Reservoirs’ business services program director.

All of the inventory that would have become available during the interruption will be available when the system reopens.

Those with questions during the interruption may call at 1-866-6CAMPIN (1-866-622-6746), Monday through Friday noon – 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, noon – 3 p.m., but no reservations may be made until Feb. 28 at noon.

Lifeguarding tests for already-certified lifeguards who want to work at DNR State Parks and Reservoirs properties will be held at no cost to the participants on April 3 in Muncie, and April 17 in Corydon.

Applicants must already be certified in Lifeguarding and CPR for the Professional Rescuer to be eligible to attend the test at either site; the tests are not a recertification of any type. Testing will include blood borne pathogens, a written test and a water test. If you passed the DNR test in 2010 and worked as a DNR lifeguard in 2010, you do not need to take the test for 2011.

The Corydon test is at the Harrison County YMCA. The test in Muncie is at Ball State University's Lewellen Aquatic Center.

To get to the Corydon site, take I-64 to exit 105. Go south on Hwy. 135, turn left onto Hwy. 337 South toward downtown Corydon. Follow Hwy. 337 South approximately 1 mile, then turn left on Foundation Way, which is between a restaurant and insurance office, and follow to the YMCA.

To get to the Muncie site, go down the main road on campus, called McKinley. Enter by the pool and follow signs to room HP 100.

Registration at both sites starts at 8:30 a.m. The test will start at 9 a.m. at both sites and should conclude by 2 p.m.

The week after the tests, applicant’s scores will be sent to the property they request.

The Brown County Native Woodlands Project (BCNWP) has received a $1,000 grant from the Hoosier Mountain Bike Association (HMBA) to help eradicate invasive plant species in Brown County State Park.

Last year, HMBA and BCNWP volunteers began a program to get rid of Japanese stiltgrass, an invasive plant that has spread throughout the park along hiking, biking and horse trails, as well as roadsides, creek beds and fire roads. The grant will continue that effort this year.

HMBA member Len Logterman, now an official board member of the BCNWP representing the interests of HMBA, helped orchestrate the donation, which was presented Jan. 20.

“My intent in getting this donation was as much about creating publicity for the cause as the actual money involved” Logterman said.

He said he hopes other groups with interest in Brown County State Park will follow through with donations and volunteer help.

"Natural resource protection is part of the Hoosier Mountain Bike Association's mission statement,” said HMBA president Paul Arlinghaus. “In addition to the financial donation, HMBA is committing our volunteers to the fight against invasive species.”

This is the first donation of its kind, according to Ruth Ann Ingraham BCNWP chair.

“It is a step along the path toward protecting the county’s forests from the onslaught of non-native invasive plant species. The BCNWP (BCNWP.org) is deeply grateful for the commitment of HMBA.”

Ginger Murphy, DNR State Parks & Reservoirs assistant director for stewardship, said this donation is an excellent example of local organizations and individuals getting involved and helping accomplish shared goals.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Join the Ball State Alumni Association and the Adams-Wells AlumniChapter at The Bowling Center in Bluffton (1231 South Scott) onSunday, February 13, 2011 from 2 - 4 p.m.

Enjoy 2 hours of unlimited bowling (bumpers are available),shoe rental, and a free soft drink for only $7.00 for adults! Children16 years and younger are just $4.00. The Bowling Center will also havefood available for purchase.

Don't forget your camera! Special guest Charlie Cardinal will be on handfor the festivities.

Reservations are due Wednesday, February 9, 2011.Please visit here to download the registration form.

In a move to better allocate muskies produced in Indiana state fish hatcheries, the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) plans to end its 32-year muskie stocking program at Loon Lake in Whitley County.

The DNR first stocked muskies in the 222-acre natural lake in 1978 to boost predation on small, over-abundant bluegills and create muskie fishing opportunities.

Since 1978 more than 34,000 muskie fingerlings, typically measuring 8 to 10 inches long at the time of stocking, have been released into the lake. Funds to cover the cost of producing and stocking the muskies came from the sale of fishing licenses and federal sport fish restoration dollars.

Muskies are members of the pike family and can grow more than 48 inches long and weigh more than 25 pounds. They are toothy predator fish that eat a variety of other fish species, including bluegills. They prefer, however, to eat suckers, shad, and other soft-rayed fish.

By stocking muskies in Loon Lake, biologists theorized bluegills that escaped predation would have more food to eat and would be able to grow larger. When the stocking program began, the lake already had a long history of producing bluegills too small to interest most anglers.

“So much for theories,” said Jed Pearson, DNR biologist who has managed the Loon Lake muskie stocking program since it began. “What we hoped would occur once muskies were in the lake just never happened.”

Bluegills continue to dominate its fish population. Bluegills represented 80 percent of the fish collected in a recent DNR survey.

“That’s about twice the normal percentage of bluegills in Indiana natural lakes,” he said. “And most of them were small, less than 6 inches long. Unlike bluegills at other lakes in the area, none of them were 8 inches long.”

The lack of many catchable-size bluegills deters anglers from fishing.

Based on an angler survey conducted by the DFW in 2009, fishing effort at Loon Lake was low—only 35 hours per acre. The bluegill harvest rate of 0.6 bluegills per hour was only half the average compared to other lakes. The number of bluegills taken home by anglers plummeted from a high of 15,000 in 1983 to only 1,600 in 2009.

The decline in bluegill harvest, however, was not due muskie predation.

Meanwhile muskie fishing failed to attract many anglers. Interest waned in recent years.

“Only 6 percent of fishermen at Loon Lake fish for muskies,” he said. “That figure is half of what it once was and well below average compared to other muskie lakes.”

With ample opportunities to fish for muskies already in several nearby lakes, Pearson expects anglers who previously fished for muskies at Loon to switch to other stocked lakes, including Lake Tippecanoe and the Barbee lakes.

“Muskies won’t disappear from Loon Lake overnight either,” Pearson said. “Fishermen will still be able to fish for them for many years. Fingerlings that were just stocked last fall could be around for 10 years or more.”

The Southern Wells Athletic Department will be holding an all-you-can-eat chicken and fish dinner from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 28, before the boys’ basketball game against South Adams.Back Door Concessions will provide chicken and fish, cole slaw or applesauce, chips, dessert and drink. Cost is $8 for adults, $5 for children 5-12 years old and free for children under 5. Cost at the door is $9 for adults and $6 for children. Tickets may be purchased from any winter sport athlete or by calling the high school office at 765-728-5534 to reserve tickets. All proceeds will benefit the Athletic Transportation Budget.

Crusader 8th-grade girls end seasonThe Norwell 8th-grade girls’ basketball team was eliminated from the Northeast Hoosier Middle Level Conference tournament Wednesday evening with a 37-27 second-round loss to Woodside at Norwell.Hanna Smith scored 9 points and Liara Isnogle 8 to lead the Crusaders, who finished with a 13-3 record. Erika Thornton added 5 points, Chloie Williams 3 and Sarah Bauermeister 2. Smith and Thornton each grabbed 5 rebounds. Thornton also had 6 steals. Isnogle and Williams each had 3 steals.

Bluffton girls ousted from tourneyThe Bluffton Middle School girls’ basketball teams exited the Allen County Athletic Conference tournament with second-round losses Wednesday evening against Leo.The 7th-grade Tigers lost 32-13 to end up with a record of 9-8 overall and 5-1 in the ACAC season standings. The 8th-grade Tigers were nipped 23-21 to finish up at 10-7 and 4-2.Shannon Penrod led the 7th-grade Tigers with 4 points. Caroline Mettler added 3, while Ashley Smith, Whitney Green and Branda Bywater each had 2 points.Erin McKinley scored 9 points, Emma Thompson 8 and Lauren Stauffer 4 for the 8th-grade Tigers.In first-round action, the 7th-grade Tigers ousted Heritage 30-22 and the 8th-grade Tigers booted the Patriots 29-20.Penrod netted 12 points and Smith 10 against Heritage. Green added 6 and Bywater 2.McKinley tallied 13 points for the 8th-graders. Thompson added 9, Janean Steffen 4 and Stauffer 3.

Season ends for Bluffton boysThe Bluffton Middle School boys’ basketball teams were knocked out of the Allen County Athletic Conference tournament with second-round losses Wednesday evening against Leo.The 7th-grade Tigers lost 34-19 to end up with a record of 14-2 overall. They were season champions with a 6-0 mark. The 8th-grade Tigers fell 50-37, closing out the season at 11-8 and 5-1 in league play.Aaron Sturgeon led the 7th-grade Tigers with 12 points. Grant Prible had 3, Dwayne Eskridge 2 and Jacob Ehle 2.Javon Morgan finished with 15 points and Kevin Moser 11 to lead the 8th-grade Tigers. Noah Antrim added 8 and Dane Hoffman 3.

Andrea Vogelshines for UrbanaURBANA, Ohio — Sophomore forward Andrea Vogel recorded her first double-double of the season Saturday for the Urbana University women’s basketball team, but the Blue Knights lost 76-63 to Findlay.Vogel, a 2009 Norwell High School graduate, netted 13 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. She also had five blocked shots. The Blue Knights fell to 5-10.

Raider girls advance in ACAC tourneyThe Southern Wells Junior High School girls’ basketball teams knocked the South Adams Starfires out of the Allen County Athletic Conference middle school tournament Monday evening.The Raiders won both games over the Starfires with the 7th-graders rolling along 34-8 and the 8th-graders finishing up 36-22.Sydney Jones led the 7th-grade Raiders with 10 points. Michaelle Smith added 8, Tori Wiese 6 and Lori Plummer 4. Arianne Forbis, Alexis Collins and Kyra Catterson each added 2 points.Brooke Penrod topped the Raider 8th-graders with 9 points, while Savannah Deakyne and Lela Knowles each tallied 8 points. Megan Lefebvre, Jordyn Sills, Meghan Yencer, Emily Junk and Kiara Leas each contributed 2 points and Allison Blevins chipped in with 1 point.

Girls’ softball tryouts scheduledTryouts for the Bluffton 12U and 14U girls’ fastpitch softball teams will be held Saturday, Feb. 5, from noon to 3 p.m. in the Bluffton High School gym (enter at door No. 5).These tryouts are open to Bluffton Middle School girls in grades 6-8. There is no cost. Registration forms may be picked up at the middle school office and should be returned by Tuesday, Feb. 1. If you have questions, call head coach Rick Mettler at 824-3536 (day) or 450-4168 (evenings).

So. Wells to hold meal before gameThe Southern Wells Athletic Department will be holding an all-you-can-eat chicken and fish dinner from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 28, before the boys’ basketball game against South Adams.Back Door Concessions will provide chicken and fish, cole slaw or applesauce, chips, dessert and drink. Cost is $8 for adults, $5 for children 5-12 years old and free for children under 5. Cost at the door is $9 for adults and $6 for children. Tickets may be purchased from any winter sport athlete or by calling the high school office at 765-728-5534 to reserve tickets. All proceeds will benefit the Athletic Transportation Budget.

Raider baseball spaghetti supperThe Southern Wells Raiders’ baseball team is having a spaghetti supper from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 4, in the high school café. Tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for children 5-12 and children 4-and-under are free. See a Raider baseball player or call 765-728-5534 for tickets. All proceeds benefit the baseball team.

The Department of Natural Resources will conduct public open houses Jan. 26 and 27 to share information about its Wabash River and Sugar Creek corridor conservation project.

Gov. Mitch Daniels in June announced plans to conserve approximately 43,000 acres along Sugar Creek and the Wabash River in Parke, Vigo and Sullivan counties. DNR partners in the project are The Nature Conservancy, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Resources Conservation Service, and local Soil & Water Conservation Districts.

The Jan. 26 open house will be from 4-7 p.m. at the Vigo County Commissioners Annex Building, 650 S. 1st Street, Terre Haute, and the Jan. 27 open house from 4-7 p.m. at Turkey Run Inn, Turkey Run State Park.

DNR representatives will be on hand to meet the public and discuss the environmental, recreational and wildlife aspects of the project as well as answer questions.

Whether you hope to captivate your family and friends or wow a much larger audience, attending a storytelling workshop offered by the Upper Wabash Interpretive Service can help boost your ability to spin a yarn.

The storytelling workshop is Jan. 29, from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., at the Salamonie Interpretive Center, near Wabash.

Storyteller Doyne Carson will instruct us in the basics of telling a story and captivating an audience. The event begins with Ms. Carson demonstrating storytelling tools such as pacing, pitch and pause and even using story maps.

A light lunch is included. Workshop fee is $15 per person.

Michael Mycroft, State of Indiana Resource Management Coordinator, IDNR, and past Interpretive Naturalist, stated, “I once performed Native American flute on a public radio station. I'm not much for storytelling, but Doyne performed before I went on and it was literally mesmerizing. She's simply amazing!”

In the afternoon, participants have the option of presenting a short sample of their storytelling to gain some helpful tips.

Mosey on over to the Salamonie Reservoir Interpretive Center for a cowboy gathering, Feb. 26. The evening starts at 5:30 p.m. with a cowboy stew meal followed by a program given by Philip Loy, about Roy Roger’s famous mount Trigger.

There will also be a favorite cowboy hat contest. Wear your funniest or ugliest riding hat for a chance to win a prize.

Attendees should bring a dessert or side dish and their own table service. Drinks and stew will be provided.

Registration is required by calling (260) 468-2127. There is no fee for the event or property admission. Donations to cover cost of stew will be accepted.

Annual horse tags, as well as many horse-related gift items are available in the gift shop.

The Salamonie Interpretive Center hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The center is located in Lost Bridge West Recreation Area on Highway 105 in western Huntington County.

Visit www.in.gov/dnr/uwis/ for more information about this and other Upper Wabash Interpretive Services programs.

Donations needed forNorwell Tennis PavilionDonations for the Norwell Tennis Pavilion Campaign are being accepted through April 1. Proposed construction of the pavilion to be built west of the Norwell tennis courts is slated to begin this summer. Checks made out to the Norwell Athletic Dept. are tax deductible and should be sent to Kristie George, Norwell High School, Ossian, IN 46777. For more information, call 260-543-2213. Donation receipts may be followed online at http://www.nwcs.k12.in.us/NHS/nhs.html, select NHS Athletics on the left and then select NHS Tennis Pavilion Campaign.

Bluffton Boosters to host dinnerThe Bluffton Athletic Boosters will host a dinner from 5-7 p.m. in the high school cafetorium before the Tigers’ boys’ basketball game on Friday Jan. 21. Grilled chicken, salad, baked potato, green beans, dessert and drink will be served for $8. Tickets are available from any Bluffton athlete or at the door. Any questions contact Dan Geimer at 824-9643 or 824-8543.

Optimist basketball contest setWells County boys and girls may test their basketball skills against each other in the Bluffton Optimist Tri-Star Basketball Contest set for Saturday, Jan. 22, at the Bluffton City Building gym at 128 E. Market St.Children must be between ages 8-13 as of March 15. Sign-up forms will be available at the door. Registration and warm-up will begin at 3:30 p.m., followed by the contest at 4 p.m. The top three boys and girls from each age group will receive a trophy. First-place finishers advance to regional competition, which will be announced at the local event.

Cheer clinic at HuntingtonThe Huntington University cheerleading squad will be hosting a cheer clinic for girls between the ages of 5-14 on Saturday, Feb. 5, from 8:30-11:30 a.m. at the Merillat Complex. Cost is $25 with checks made payable to Huntington University Cheerleading. To register online go to www.huntington.edu. For more information, call Candace Cooper at 260-224-0179 or e-mail ccooper@huntington.edu. Entry deadline is Jan. 31.

So. Wells to hold meal before gameThe Southern Wells Athletic Department will be holding an all-you-can-eat chicken and fish dinner from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 28, before the boys’ basketball game against South Adams.Back Door Concessions will provide chicken and fish, cole slaw or applesauce, chips, dessert and drink. Cost is $8 for adults, $5 for children 5-12 years old and free for children under 5. Cost at the door is $9 for adults and $6 for children. Tickets may be purchased from any winter sport athlete or by calling the high school office at 765-728-5534 to reserve tickets. All proceeds will benefit the Athletic Transportation Budget.

Bluffton Boosters to host dinnerThe Bluffton Athletic Boosters will host a dinner from 5-7 p.m. in the high school cafetorium before the Tigers’ boys’ basketball game on Friday Jan. 21. Grilled chicken, salad, baked potato, green beans, dessert and drink will be served for $8. Tickets are available from any Bluffton athlete or at the door. Any questions contact Dan Geimer at 824-9643 or 824-8543.

Norwell Baseball hitting league slatedNorwell Baseball will be offering a middle school hitting league Jan. 24, 31, and Feb. 7, 14 and 21. Cost is $35. Registrations will be accepted through Jan. 24. For more information contact Kelby Weybright at 543-2213, ext. 7002 or 273-2396 or e-mail at kelby.weybright@nwcs.k12.in.us.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

“Making Tracks,” an animal tracks program for kids ages 2 to 5, will be offered at the Salamonie Interpretive Center, Wednesday, Jan. 19.

The program runs 10-11:30 a.m. Children will compare animal tracks to signs that they can make, take a hike to look for tracks, and make a craft.

Regardless of weather, the program is planned to be both indoors and out, starting at the interpretive center. Parents are expected to stay with their child throughout the program. Participants can choose to bring their lunch to eat together after the event.

There is a $2 fee per child for the program. The standard property entrance fee will be waived for program attendees. Register by calling (260) 468-2127 or stop by the interpretive center at 3691 S. New Holland Road, Andrews, IN, 46702.

The interpretive center and Otter Run Tradin’ Post is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. This barrier-free building features exhibits, floor-to-ceiling windows in the wildlife viewing area, and staff to answer your questions.

See www.dnr.IN.gov/uwis for more information about other programs put on by the Upper Wabash Interpretive Services. Visit us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/upperwabash.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Who: ALL Wells county boys and girls age 8-13 (as of March 15, 2011) When: Saturday January 22, 2011 Registration/warm up at 3:30 pm; Contest at 4:00 pm Where: Bluffton City Gym, 128 E. Market Registration: Sign up forms available at the door 1st place winners advance to the regional contest. Questions: Call Dan Gerdom at 824-0195

Pickleball is a racquet sport which combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis.The sport is played on a court with the same dimensions as a doubles badminton court. The net is lower than most other racquet sports allowing for faster play.The game is played with a hard paddle and a wiffle ball, making the technique required for pickleball different than other sports. If you are interested in learning this fast growing popular sport call the park office at 824-6069 for more information or join us in the Bluffton City Gym starting Jan 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. and each following Monday for eight weeks. This is a free league!

Taylor University baseball head coach Kyle Gould has announced that the Trojans will host baseball camps on consecutive Sundays, February 6, 13, and 20. The camps are open to players 3rd grade through 12th grade.

The camps will include several skill stations that include repetitions on the specified skills. Offerings include sessions on hitting, pitching, catching, or a combination of hitting with either pitching or catching.

The camps will be held in the Kesler Student Activities Center on Taylor's campus in Upland, Indiana. Each camper will receive a Taylor Baseball Camp T-shirt.

Instructors at the camp will include the Taylor coaching staff and members of Taylor's 2010 Mid-Central College championship baseball team that advanced to the NAIA National Tournament last season.

A camp registration form can be downloaded at www.taylor.edu/athletics/baseball.

For further information, contact Taylor head baseball coach Kyle Gould at (765) 998-4635 or via e-mail at kygould@taylor.edu.

Turkey Run State Park and Raccoon State Recreation Area are teaming up to offer a weekend of programming centered around the majestic bald eagle, Feb. 4-6. Activities include talks featuring live owls and raptors, presentations on birding, and road trips to eagle roosting and nesting sites.

The activities will be based at the Turkey Run Inn. There is a program fee of $25 per adult and $20 per child ages 4-12. Children age 3 and younger will be admitted free of charge. These fees cover costs for all weekend programs as well as the two bus tours.

To make lodging reservations at Turkey Run Inn call 1-877-563-4371 or go to www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/inns/turkeyrun/. Be sure to reference group code 0204EW when making a reservation.

Standard weekend park entrance fees of $5 for in-state vehicles and $7 for out-of-state vehicles will be charged. For more information about this event visit www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/files/sp-Raccoon_EagleWeekend.pdf or call (765) 597-2654.

No. 3 Norwell girlsroll over WhitkoAmanda McAfee, Taylor Wilson and Jami Reinhard led the Class 3A No. 3 Norwell Knights to a 71-49 victory over the Whitko Wildcats in girls’ high school basketball action Thursday night at South Whitley.Norwell (13-1) outscored Whitko 24-14 in the second period to open up a 38-22 halftime lead.McAfee scored 11 of her game-high 19 points in the second half, as the Knights finished the contest with a 33-27 edge over the Wildcats.Wilson added 17 points and Reinhard 15 to lead the Norwell scoring. Wilson had a trio of three-pointers.Jessica Rupright added 8 points and Caitlyn Ailor 7 for the Knights. Allyssa Smith finished with 3 points and Paige Frisch 2.Whitko (7-8) was led by Karissa Olinske with 13 points. Micaela Sylvester and Rachelle Kessie each added 10 points. Cagney Craig tossed in 9 points.

Chargers defeat Norwell matmenThe Norwell wrestling team was defeated by the Carroll Chargers 46-21 on Thursday night in a Northeast Hoosier Conference dual meet at Norwell.Grayson Smith, Andrew Smith, Tony West and Jon Stickney won their matches for the Knights. Grayson Smith won by a pin in 32 seconds at 152 pounds. Andrew Smith pinned his opponent at 1:24 in the 160-pound match. Tony West pinned his 215-pound challenger in 1:29. Stickney won by a 6-2 decision at 285 pounds.In junior varsity action, the Knights and Chargers tied 12-12.

Finals set for ACAC TournamentThe Leo Lions knocked Adams Central out of the Allen County Athletic Conference Basketball Tournament Thursday night in the semifinal round at Allen County Memorial Coliseum.Leo withstood a challenge in the boys’ game, downing the Jets 86-79 in overtime. In the girls’ contest, the Lions beat Adams Central 57-21.In the other boy’s game, Heritage romped over Woodlan 81-64. In the second girls’ contest, Class 2A No. 4 Garrett whipped Woodlan 51-27.The championship game of the girls’ tournament will be played at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Coliseum, followed by the boys’ final game.

So. Wells to hold meal before gameThe Southern Wells Athletic Department will be holding an all-you-can-eat chicken and fish dinner from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 28, before the boys’ basketball game against South Adams.“Back Door Concessions” will provide chicken and fish, cole slaw or applesauce, chips, dessert and drink. Cost is $8 for adults, $5 for children 5-12 years old and free for children under 5. Cost at the door is $9 for adults and $6 for children. Tickets may be purchased from any winter sport athlete or by calling the high school office at 765-728-5534 to reserve tickets. All proceeds will benefit the Athletic Transportation Budget.

Bluffton Boosters to host dinnerThe Bluffton Athletic Boosters will host a dinner from 5-7 p.m. in the high school cafetorium before the Tigers’ boys’ basketball game on Friday Jan. 21. Grilled chicken, salad, baked potato, green beans, dessert and drink will be served for $8. Tickets are available from any Bluffton athlete or at the door. Any questions contact Dan Geimer at 824-9643 or 824-8543.

Optimist basketball contest scheduledWells County boys and girls may test their basketball skills against each other in the Bluffton Optimist Tri-Star Basketball Contest set for Saturday, Jan. 22, at the Bluffton City Building gym at 128 E. Market St.Children must be between ages 8-13 as of March 15. Sign-up forms will be available at the door. Registration and warm-up will begin at 3:30 p.m., followed by the contest at 4 p.m. The top three boys and girls from each age group will receive a trophy. First-place finishers advance to regional competition, which will be announced at the local event.

Norwell Baseball hitting league slatedNorwell Baseball will be offering a middle school hitting league Jan. 24, 31, and Feb. 7, 14 and 21. Cost is $35. Registrations will be accepted through Jan. 24. For more information contact Kelby Weybright at 543-2213, ext. 7002 or 273-2396 or e-mail at kelby.weybright@nwcs.k12.in.us.

A storytelling workshop to help boost your ability to spin a tale will be offered at the Salamonie Interpretive Center, Jan. 29, from 10 a.m.–1 p.m.

Storyteller Doyne Carson will go over the basics of telling a story and captivating an audience. The event begins with Carson demonstrating such speaking tools as pitch, pause, pacing, tone, use of story maps and other useful storytelling tools.

In the afternoon, participants will have the opportunity to tell a short story and gain some feedback and helpful tips.

A light lunch will be included. Registration is required. Call (260) 468-2127 to register.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Duke Wang and Corbin Cozad were outstanding swimmers for the Huntington-Wells Otters in the Mid-Winter Ice Breaker swim meet on Jan. 8-9 at Parkview Huntington Family YMCA in Huntington.Wang received second place in the 13-14 boys’ high-point award. Wang had three firsts, two seconds, two thirds and one fourth.Cozad had four firsts in the boys’ 9-10 age group. He also had two seconds, one third and one fourth.Walker Copeland, also swimming in the 9-10 boys’ age group, had a second, three thirds, two fourths, one fifth, one sixth and one eighth.In the girls’ 8-under age group, Sarah Mahnensmith had one third, two fifths, three sixths, three sevenths and one eighth.In the boys’ 13-and-over group, Ethan Hethcote had one first, two seconds, three fifths, one sixth and one eighth. Walter Hacker had one third, one fourth, two fifths, one sixth, one seventh and three eighths.Other swimmers leading the Otters were Jacob Daugherty, Gideon Wagner, Joe Alleman, Dennis Runyon, Lia King, Kate Mahnensmith, Maggie Warpup and Zane Cozad.Daugherty and Wagner were members of the second-place 8-and-under boys’ 100-yard freestyle relay. Walker Copeland and Corbin Cozad were members of the second-place boys’ 9-10 200-yard medley relay team and the second-place 200-yard freestyle relay.Complete results are posted on the News-Banner Sports & Outdoors Blog.

Fish and tenderloin fry at NorwellThe Norwell Baseball Club is sponsoring an all-you-can-eat fish and tenderloin fry Friday, Jan. 14, from 4:30-7:30 p.m. in the Norwell High School cafeteria before the Bellmont vs. Norwell basketball game.Tickets before the fry are $8 for adults ages 13 and up, $5 for children 6-12, and free for children under 5. At the door, tickets are $9 for adults and $5.50 for children. Tickets may be purchased from Norwell baseball players or at Norwell home basketball games. Proceeds will benefit the Norwell Baseball Club.

WASHINGTON – Less than a year after launching its Conservation and Community Partnerships Grants program, the independent Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) forest certification program is celebrating achievements to date – and inviting applications for 2011.

“SFI Inc. anticipated far-reaching benefits through the grant program because we know first-hand how building conservation and community partnerships can lead to tangible, on-the-ground results,” SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow said today. “To say we are impressed with project outcomes so far is an understatement.”

Today, SFI Inc. builds on this success by opening its 2011 Request for Proposals for Conservation and Community Partnerships Grants, inviting applications for projects that address current topics of importance to the SFI program, such as the role of certified forests in emerging bioenergy markets; avoidance of controversial sources, such as illegal logging, in the global supply chain; improved wildlife habitat management and conservation of biodiversity, and community-based projects such as those that address management of culturally important lands. There is also a new category to support smaller projects such as forestry educational programs for children and green building projects for low-income residents, with five to seven grants available in amounts up to $5,000. In 2011, SFI Inc. will award up to $200,000 in new grants.

The 2011 RFP and the latest information about the SFI Conservation and Community Partnerships Grant program are posted at www.sfiprogram.org/conservation-grant/index.php. The deadline for 2011 grant applications is Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011.

“One of the best ways to keep our forests strong and healthy is to give those who care about them a chance to work together,” said Charles Tattersall (Tat) Smith Jr., Professor, Faculty of Forestry, University of Toronto, and a member of the SFI Board of Directors. “One of the real strengths of the SFI program is its willingness to provide opportunities for diverse groups to collaborate so they can broaden our knowledge and make a difference.”

Last year, SFI Inc. awarded nine grants totaling $307,500 in funding for 2010, including some multi-year projects that brought the total commitment to $675,000 over three years. Through the involvement of partners, these projects will leverage additional resources and achieve a total value of almost $2.7 million.

Current achievements and upcoming deliverables from the 2010 SFI Grant Recipients include:· Bird Studies Canada harnessed 327,000 volunteer hours to collect data to improve management of forest habitats for endangered bird species.· Wildlife management students at Clemson University evaluated the effects of select silvicultural practices on wildlife habitat, and the findings are being shared with forest landowners on the university’s website (www.clemson.edu/public/whip/)· The British Columbia Ministry of Environment, working with South Coast Conservation Program, reviewed 1,200 grizzly bear habitats along British Columbia’s Pacific Coast to assist with ecosystem management.· The Ruffed Grouse Society sponsored two Wisconsin Coverts workshops where 49 private forest landowners learned how to manage their lands to better support wildlife, and pledged to pass the knowledge on to hundreds of others.· The National Council for Air and Stream Improvement examined the relationship between species at risk and habitat in the Southwest, Pacific Northwest and Great Lakes regions.· Forest Trends and the World Resources Institute will develop resources to help U.S. organizations navigate legality in the global supply chain and avoid illegal sources of fiber.· The American Chestnut Foundation will plant the first blight-resistant American chestnuts in the southeastern United States, with a web-based database to monitor and assess the test plantings.· The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation will achieve habitat gains for birds and wildlife dependent on younger forests, with access to as much as 175 million acres/71 million hectares of certified forests.

Daniel Petit, director of the Bird Conservation Initiative for the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, said the grant project will have a measureable, positive impact on bird species of high national significance. “Thanks to the SFI grant program, we are able to work with conservation groups, government agencies and 30 SFI program participants in 14 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces to provide high-value habitat for migratory birds,” he said.

The SFI 2010-2014 Standard is based on 14 core principles that promote sustainable forest management, including measures to protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, species at risk, and Forests with Exceptional Conservation Value, and encourages community involvement. The SFI program is the only forest certification standard in North America that requires participants to support and engage in research activities to improve forestry forest health, productivity and sustainable management of forest resources. Since 1995, SFI-certified organizations have contributed more than $1.1 billion (US) for research activities that support forestry research, science and technology.

Adam Phelps, DNR wildlife biologist, estimates that 5,400 Canada geese were harvested during the February 2010 season, about 900 fewer than in February 2009. He estimated the total late-season harvest across all three years to be 15,800 geese.

To meet guidelines from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, at least 80 percent of the geese harvested during the three-year experimental period needed to be the giant Canada goose. This is the goose that commonly breeds in Indiana and surrounding states.

“Most of the hunt zone was well over the 80 percent mark,” Phelps said, “but the counties around Terre Haute did not meet that criterion.”

The “experimental” status of the season ended in 2010, so most of the late goose counties will no longer need to check in geese; however, because the Terre Haute area didn’t meet the 80 percent criterion, geese harvested in those counties—Clay, Greene, Parke, Sullivan, Vermillion, and Vigo—still need to be checked.

Components of the proposed changes include modification of the season structure, bag limits, hunting equipment, and licensing requirements. The changes address requests from the NRC and the NRC’s Advisory Council as part of their comprehensive review of fish and wildlife rules.

Key elements of the recommendation would allow use of a crossbow during the archery season and the urban zone season; establish separate crossbow and urban zone licenses; combine the early and late archery seasons into a single season from Oct. 1 through the first Sunday in January; and add a special antlerless only firearms season in select counties from Dec. 26 through the first Sunday in January.

The complete text of the proposed rule package and other information can be found at www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/2362.htm.

Once the rule language is posted on the NRC website (www.in.gov/nrc/2377.htm), the public will be able to use the convenient online link to submit comments. Written comments also can be mailed to Division of Hearings, Indiana Government Center North, 100 North Senate Ave., Room N501, Indianapolis, IN, 46204-2200.

One or more public hearings will be scheduled to collect additional comment before the recommendations go back to the NRC for consideration of final adoption. NRC chairman Bryan Poynter said it is unlikely any changes would occur in the 2011 hunting seasons.

The NRC also voted on Tuesday for final adoption of rule amendments governing the use of gizzard shad, threadfin and alewife as bait; requirements for obtaining a wild animal rehabilitation permit; and placement of fish attractors on properties administered by the DNR.

In other actions, the NRC approved:

--Dedication of a 743-acre addition to the existing 859-acre Fourteen Mile Creek Nature Preserve at Charlestown State Park in Clark County;

--Preliminary adoption of a rule to remove Roush State Fish and Wildlife Area from lakes subject to drawings for fishing tournaments;

--Preliminary adoption of rule amendments to modify size limits on black bass taken from rivers or streams;

--Kristen Lutes as property manager at Culbertson Mansion State Historic Site in New Albany and Joseph Frost as property manager at Vincennes State Historic Sites, Vincennes;

--Permanent removal of objects from collections of the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Wilson, Prible add to St. Francis winJenelle Wilson and Meghan Prible contributed to the sixth straight win for the University of Saint Francis women’s basketball team on Saturday at Fort Wayne.The Cougars ripped through the Goshen Maple Leafs 89-52 in the Mid-Central Conference game. Saint Francis improved to 15-4 overall and 4-1 in league play.Wilson, a freshman from Norwell, came off the bench to score 10 points and added 6 assists and 3 steals. Prible, a sophomore from Southern Wells, finished with 7 points.

Bluffton Wrestling Club to meetBeginning on Thursday, Jan. 13, the Bluffton Wrestling Club will be holding practices from 6-7:30 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays in the high school wrestling room.The club is open to any child pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. There will be a parents meeting in the wrestling room at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 11.If questions, call Kyler Kearby at (260) 580-9502 or Kelly Cummings at (765) 329-0022.

INDIANAPOLIS – Gov. Mitch Daniels has appointed Scotty Wilson as the new director of the DNR Division of Law Enforcement to replace Col. Mike Crider, who is retiring tomorrow.

“Indiana Conservation Officers provide a tremendous service in protecting and conserving our state’s wonderful natural resources for public enjoyment and recreation,” Daniels said. “Scotty’s years of experience as a field officer, a district commander, and more recently as a member of the Law Enforcement executive team make him a natural fit to fill this leadership role with the DNR.”

By statute, the governor appoints the DNR law enforcement chief on the recommendation of the DNR director. Wilson’s promotion to the rank of Colonel is effective Jan. 1.

“I’m delighted that Gov. Daniels has made this appointment,” said DNR Director Robert E. Carter Jr., who preceded Crider as head of DNR Law Enforcement. “Scotty is a proven leader with an impeccable résumé and will continue where Mike left off.”

Wilson, 54, has been a conservation officer for 25 years and spent the last 10 months as the division’s Executive Officer with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

As the division director, he will oversee 214 conservation officers and 40 civilian employees.

“I have great respect for the position, and I am humbled,” Wilson said. “I worked hard as an officer and enjoyed it immensely. I seized the opportunities that came my way, and those opportunities over the course of 25 years have now given me this opportunity to be the director. I’ve been working with Mike long enough that I’ve got a pretty good hook on things. I have a multitude of good people to surround myself with, and I look forward to being the leader of this division and keep us going on the right course.”

Wilson joined the DNR in 1985 after being elected class president of that year’s Indiana Conservation Officer recruit school. He spent the next 16 years as a field officer in Knox and Perry counties before being promoted to lieutenant for District 7, a 10-county area of southwest Indiana. He transferred to the DNR central office in 2006 to become logistics officer.

He has served in many capacities beyond his primary duties, including being an instructor in advanced scuba, river rescue, hunter and boater education; serving as recruit school drill instructor, sonar operator, and covert operative, and developing the DNR’s K-9 program.

Wilson is a 2003 graduate of the FBI National Academy and was elected by his peers as class president. In 2005, he participated in an FBI Fellowship Program in Washington, D.C., and in 2009 was elected president of the Indiana chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates.

He has a Bachelor of Science degree in human resources management from Oakland City University and an associate’s degree in general studies from Vincennes University.

Wilson served four years active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps and two years inactive service, achieving the rank of Staff Sergeant.

Crider, 51, is retiring after 30-plus years with DNR Law Enforcement, the past four as division director.

“Boy, I’ve had a wonderful career,” Crider said. “I got do to some things that were just amazing, and I watched and experienced the advancement and significant steps forward, particularly in areas of technology and the policing world.

“When I started, we had one or two walkie-talkies in the district, and they were about the size of a small briefcase. Nobody had a cell phone or had even heard of them. Nobody even had computers.”

(NOTE: A photo of Scotty Wilson is at http://www.in.gov/dnr/files/Scotty.Wilson.jpg)

Volunteer hunters took 1,689 deer during special controlled hunts at 16 state parks in November, according to Mike Mycroft, chief of natural resources for the DNR Division of State Parks and Reservoirs. A full report is available at http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/files/sp-DeerRMRR.pdf.

Indiana state parks were among the first in the eastern United States to use hunting to manage the impacts of deer in protected natural areas that traditionally prohibited hunting. Many additional agencies, such as Georgia state parks and other groups, have since adopted similar programs based on Indiana’s model.

“We began our reduction program 18 years ago, and all those years provide a powerful data set that illustrates habitat recovery as well as healthier, sustained deer populations throughout the parks,” Mycroft said.

The state parks are home to many unique natural communities and rare plants no longer represented throughout Indiana. The controlled hunts help reduce browsing by deer to a level that helps ecosystems and associated vegetation recover.

Individual parks are evaluated annually to determine which require a reduction. Decisions are based on the recovery of vegetation that deer eat and previous harvest information at each park. Approximately one-third of the parks have achieved maintenance status since the program began and regularly take a year off from reductions.

Individual hunters could take up to three deer, which do not count against statewide bag limits and have no tag fees. Participants were drawn from a pool of eligible applicants in September. Look for details regarding 2011 state park deer reductions and applications starting in July at http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/5834.htm.

You can learn how to embrace the Indiana winter in Outdoor Indiana magazine’s January-February issue, which features Pokagon State Park, a Hoosier winter wonderland.

The issue features an eight-page removable insert on the Steuben County state park in Angola. The cover features a kayaker paddling around the shelf ice of Indiana’s portion of Lake Michigan. Readers will also find a photo essay that shows the best scenery of this season in Indiana, shot by the state’s best outdoor photographers.

The issue is available now at most DNR properties and most Borders and Barnes & Noble stores in Indiana for $3 a copy.

Stay up to date on the state’s outdoors through all seasons by subscribing for $12 for a year (six issues). Go OutdoorIndiana.org or call (317) 233-3046.

To join the Outdoor Indiana page on Facebook, see http://facebook.com/OutdoorIndiana

Shatto nominated for All-Star GameNorwell senior Jeff Shatto was selected Wednesday night by the Indiana Football Coaches Association Region 3 coaches as a nominee for tight end on the North All-Star team.The IFCA Grange Insurance All-Star Game will be on Friday, July 15, at North Central High School in Indianapolis.The North All-Star coaching staff will be selecting the team from the five North regions in March.

Fish and tenderloin fry at NorwellThe Norwell Baseball Club is sponsoring an all-you-can-eat fish and tenderloin fry Friday, Jan. 14, from 4:30-7:30 p.m. in the Norwell High School cafeteria before the Bellmont vs. Norwell basketball game.Tickets before the fry are $8 for adults ages 13 and up, $5 for children 6-12, and free for children under 5. At the door, tickets are $9 for adults and $5.50 for children. Tickets may be purchased from Norwell baseball players or at Norwell home basketball games. Proceeds will benefit the Norwell Baseball Club.

DNR Law Enforcement seeks information on the fatal shooting of a peregrine falcon that was found injured in Floyd County near the I-64 bridge in New Albany on Dec. 22 of last year.

The bird, which was found to be a captive-bred injured female, was brought to the Hardy Lake Raptor Rehabilitation Center that night by Indiana Conservation Officer Gary Pennington. The center’s personnel took the falcon to a local veterinarian, whose X-ray determined the bird had been shot. The falcon died Dec. 31.

According to John Castrale, the DNR’s nongame bird biologist, the falcon, which he banded and released in Evansville in 1994, had not been reported since 1995. The bird was named Phoenix, and may have been nesting in the New Albany/Louisville area where pairs breed on tall buildings and under bridges. Most peregrine falcons are banded as nestlings and later identification can be made if individuals can be approached. The biologist said the bird was relatively old for the species. The oldest he’s aware of in the Midwest lived to age 19.

Peregrine falcons were removed from the federal endangered species list in 1999 but remain a state endangered species in Indiana.

Anyone with information about this shooting should call 1-800-TIP-IDNR (847-4367) or go online to TIP.IN.gov.

Lt. Mark Farmer, public information officer for DNR Law Enforcement, said combined federal and state penalties for a conviction could result in a fine of $15,000, six months incarceration and loss of equipment.

Information about the Midwest peregrines (including a searchable database) can be found at http://www.midwestperegrine.org/

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has unveiled a new package of recommended changes to deer hunting rules that will be presented to the Natural Resources Commission at its Jan. 11 meeting at Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis.

The recommendations were developed after the NRC withdrew its preliminary approval of an earlier plan because overwhelming public comment opposed shortening some segments of the deer hunting seasons. DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife staff biologists believe the proposed multiple shorter seasons in the earlier plan, some for antlerless deer only, would have contributed to the goal of reducing deer numbers by placing greater emphasis on hunting of antlerless deer.

“The new proposal has the same objective – to focus deer herd reduction in a strategically-targeted manner to more adequately balance ecological, recreational and economic needs of the citizens of Indiana,” said Mark Reiter, director of the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife. “Our responsibility is to manage wildlife for all Hoosiers. Some pointed to the previous proposal as an effort to manage the herd for trophy animals or increase license revenue. That was not the case.”

The new recommendations maintain the focus but leave the firearms and muzzleloader seasons at their traditional 16-day lengths and drop a proposed two-day October season.

“This new proposal was created by staff within the DNR, using historic data gathered for deer management in Indiana, feedback from comments received during the initial proposal, and data from surrounding states,” said Mitch Marcus, wildlife section chief for the Division of Fish and Wildlife. “We can’t emphasize enough that the goal is to reduce deer numbers in a strategic manner; not everywhere, but certainly in areas of the state where it’s needed to address the balance we’re trying to achieve.”

Three key points of the new recommendation are carryovers from the previous proposal:

--Adding a special antlerless only firearms season from Dec. 26 through the first Sunday in January of the following year in counties with a bonus antlerless quota of four or more deer;

--Extending the urban zone season through Jan. 31 of the following year;

--Requiring hunters hunting in an urban zone during the urban zone season to take at least one antlerless deer before taking an antlered deer.

New components include:

--Changing the current split archery season to a single season from Oct. 1 through the first Sunday in January;

--Allowing a crossbow to be used by any hunter during the archery season and establishes a special crossbow license;

--Adding two new licenses (a crossbow license for use in the archery season, and an urban zone license) and offering a license bundle at a reduced price that would allow one antlered deer and two antlerless deer to be taken during the special youth, archery, firearms, muzzleloader and special antlerless seasons combined.

The full text of the recommended rules package can be found in the January meeting agenda on the NRC website (www.in.gov/nrc/2350.htm). Additional information from the DNR is available on the Division of Fish and Wildlife web pages at www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/ (click on the “Rule/Regulation Changes” link in the left column).

"The Division of Fish and Wildlife recognizes that modifying regulations is only part of a larger effort that must be addressed,” said Gary Langell, private lands program manager for the Division of Fish and Wildlife. “Simply changing regulations will not achieve our objective.

“Although we continue to depend on deer hunters to help us manage our deer herd, we also believe that landowners will need to be more actively involved in providing hunter access and encouraging more intensive antlerless harvest on their properties. Likewise, urban communities will need to recognize the importance of balanced, regulated deer management."

If the NRC grants preliminary adoption at its Jan. 11 meeting, it would be only the fifth step in a 34-step checklist that can take as much as a year to complete.

A vote for preliminary adoption would be followed by a public comment period overseen by the NRC Division of Hearings. The recommended rule changes and a convenient online comment link would be posted at (www.in.gov/nrc/2377.htm). The NRC also would accept written comments mailed to Division of Hearings, Indiana Government Center North, 100 North Senate Avenue, Room N501, Indianapolis, IN, 46204-2200.

State law sets a minimum period for receiving public comments, and the period may be extended by the NRC hearing officer assigned to the topic. The hearing officer also presides over at least one public hearing and prepares a report for the NRC to use in its consideration of final adoption of the proposed rule changes.